Alcatel-Lucent, SFR complete DVB-SH mobile TV pilot

Alcatel-Lucent and French mobile operator SFR have completed a six-month pilot of a DVB-SH mobile TV broadcast network co-localised, for its terrestrial part, with an existing commercial 3G+ network.

The tests in Pau, South-West France, showed that reusing part of the existing 3G+ sites allows efficient and economic indoor coverage in the frequency bands adjacent to UMTS (in the S band at 2.2 GHz). The tests validated several fundamental assumptions of the performance of a DVB-SH network, notably the coverage, continuity and quality of service.

In particular, the tests confirmed that it only requires that portions of the 3G+ sites are equipped with DVB-SH repeaters to allow Mobile TV coverage inside buildings identical to the 3G+ coverage. This validates the economical efficiency of the deployment of a DVB-SH terrestrial network for Mobile TV broadcast with a very high coverage quality.

In addition, tests related to the satellite part of a hybrid DVB-SH network were performed using a helicopter as a fixed point at high altitude, thus emulating a geostationary satellite. These tests confirmed that, for the user of a mobile terminal in a pedestrian as well as a vehicular situation, the signals coming from the satellite perfectly combined with those coming from the terrestrial repeaters, in a transparent manner for the terminal.

The companies used mobile terminals provided by Sagem Mobiles and Samsung Electronics. Dibcom, TeamCast and UDcast also supplied equipment and technical support to the project.